READ: Michigan Pet Store Owner Under Arrest!!!

In February 2011, we completed an undercover investigation of Pet Station (Dearborn Heights). When we were there onsite, a woman walked in with her dead shih-poo in a carrier. I will share our investigation with you in another email - this really unbelievable how reckless this store was. When turned in our complaints to the police, we discovered they had an open case already in this store. Over the last year, the complaint just kept coming in. We would meet people at events who purchased sick dogs and would send them directly to the Dearborn Detective.

This is the first time I have seen a pet store prosecuted! Times are changing.

Watch the video to this story. The prosecutor is making sure EVERYTHING is included in these charges.

Pet Station in Dearborn Heights and its owner, 40-year-old Ramzi Dakhlallah, are facing charges for animal cruelty, as well as pet shop and Animal Industry Act violations.

Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy announced the charges at a press conference Wednesday afternoon. She said the alleged animal cruelty happened between July 2009 and April 2012.

"The case involves over 20 dogs, over 70 birds, a number of guinea pigs, hamsters, frogs, snakes, lizards, tarantulas, chinchillas, mice and rats," according to a press release from the prosecutor's office.

"Some of the alleged conditions that were found and we are alleging include animals usually dead within days of purchase, coccidia, giardia -- a dangerous disease that people can get and cause humans to get severely ill, -- parovirus, these dogs were allegedly malnourished, infestation of fleas, horrible kennel cough, severe bacterial infections, too many animals in cages, animals in cages with obviously very sick animals, animals that literally could not stand and support themselves," Worthy said at the press conference. "The animals were not properly quarantined. On some of these animals, you could see without trouble ribs and backbones and hips showing through the skin they were so malnourished. Deceased animals in cages with some live ones. Animals that were sold too young. Animals that had roundworm. Excessive heat conditions with no air conditioning. Excessive feces and urine everywhere. The conditions were filthy and there were animals also without any food or water all in that one establishment over this period of time."

We're told the Michigan Humane Society is caring for animals seized from the Pet Station on Tuesday.

The prosecutor also alleges that records were not properly maintained and that dogs were sold without proper vaccinations and health certificates. Dogs not having proper health documentation were also reportedly brought into the state.

Dakhlallah is under arrestand expected to be arraigned on Thursday morning.

This Meetup is community funded

The Puppy Mill Awareness Meetup of Southeast Michigan is working to end the mass production of dogs in commercial kennels ("puppy mills"). Our mission is to educate the public about the cruel cycle of commercial dog breeding and the pet store link. Read more about our goals, success stories, activities and studies on our About Page.